• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.68-73
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• 2015

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate image quality change by truncated region in field of view (FOV) of attenuation correction computed tomography (AC-CT) in brain PET/CT. Materials and Methods Biograph Truepoint 40 with TrueV (Siemens) was used as a scanner. $^{68}Ge$ phantom scan was performed with and without applying brain holder using brain PET/CT protocol. PET attenuation correction factor (ACF) was evaluated according to existence of pallet in FOV of AC-CT. FBP, OSEM-3D and PSF methods were applied for PET reconstruction. Parameters of iteration 4, subsets 21 and gaussian 2 mm filter were applied for iterative reconstruction methods. Window level 2900, width 6000 and level 4, 200, width 1000 were set for visual evaluation of PET AC images. Vertical profiles of 5 slices and 20 slices summation images applied gaussian 5 mm filter were produced for evaluating integral uniformity. Results Patient pallet was not covered in FOV of AC-CT when without applying brain holder because of small size of FOV. It resulted in defect of ACF sinogram by truncated region in ACF evaluation. When without applying brain holder, defect was appeared in lower part of transverse image on condition of window level 4200, width 1000 in PET AC image evaluation. With and without applying brain holder, integral uniformities of 5 slices and 20 slices summation images were 7.2%, 6.7% and 11.7%, 6.7%. Conclusion Truncated region by small FOV results in count defect in occipital lobe of brain in clinical or research studies. It is necessary to understand effect of truncated region and apply appropriate accessory for brain PET/CT.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2012

Purpose: Patients injected with FDG use the bathroom that Measured surface contamination level and spatial dose rate. This study about the effect that result affects workers in same part. Materials and Methods: Group1 is St. Vincent' s hospital's 60case. Group 2 is Bucheon St. Mary's hospital's 50case. Last case is lower the average daily number of patients than group 2. Measured time is 8:00, 10:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00. Measured part is 4 point of toilet, basin and wastepaper basket, also measured accumulation dose of toilet during 3 month. Hospitals is installed PET/CT ware surveyed on presence of bathroom that used only by patient and worker has been using the bathroom. Results: The highest average surface contamination level of toilet is group1($8.38{\pm}4.56$), but the highest spatial dose rate is group3. Cumulative exposure dose measured by TLD during 3months is St.Vincent's hospital 0.78 mSv and Bucheon St.Mary's hospital 0.37 mSv. And result of survey is 16.12% worker using the bathroom. Conclusions: The more daily number of patient, the higher surface contamination level of bathroom. Especially, wastepaper basket's surface contamination level is exceed the reference value $4Bq/cm^2$. Based on This survey, Bathroom require special attention and proper decontamination.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2012

Purpose: In the whole body PET/CT scan, it is natural to lift the patient's arm for its quality improvement. However, when the lesion is located in head and neck, the arms should be located lower. This study was designed to compare the CT effective dose for each arm position applying Automatic Exposure Control (AEC). Materials and Methods: 45 patients who had $^{18}F$-FDG whole body PET/CT scan were studied with Biograph Truepoint 40 (SIEMENS, GERMANY), Biograph Sensation 16 (SIEMENS, GERMANY), Discovery STe 8 (GE healthcare, USA). The CT effective dose of 15 patients for each equipment was measured and comparatively analyzed in both arm-lifted position and lower-arm position. ImPACT v1.0 program was used as the method of measurement for CT effective dose. For the statistics analysis, Paired t-test which paired with SPSS 18.0 statistic program was applied. Results: In the case of arm-lifted, it was measured as $6.33{\pm}0.93mSv$ for Biograph Sensation 16, $8.01{\pm}1.34mSv$ for Biograph Truepoint 40, and $9.69{\pm}2.32mSv$ for Discovery STe 8. When arms are located lower position, it was measure as $6.97{\pm}0.76mSv$, $8.95{\pm}1.85mSv$, $13.07{\pm}2.87mSv$ for each. CT effective dose according to the arm position was 9.2% for Biograph Truepoint 40, 10.5% for Biograph Sensation 16, and 25.9% for Discovery Ste 8. The statistics analysis showed the meaningful difference ($p$<0.05). Conclusion: For the whole body PET/CT case, CT effective dose applying AEC was decreased the radiation exposure of the patients when the arm was lifted for 15.2% of average value. The patient who has no lesion in head and neck would decrease the artifact occurrence in objective part and lower the CT effective dose. Also, for the patient who had lesion in head and neck, the artifact in objective part can be lower by putting the arms down, the fact that CT effective dose increases should be concerned in its whole body PET/CT scan.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.39-47
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• 2014

Purpose As breast cancer patients continue to increase every year, cases of BSGI are on the rise with a heavier reliance on it. However, BSGI protocol in hospitals was not studied enough despite it was covered by hospital's condition and recommendation of manufacturers. The objective of the study was an examination of methods to be applicable to BSGI protocols, putting the self-development phantom to use in quality assessment of the images. Materials and Methods Dilon 6800 (Dilon Technologies Inc, Newport News, USA) was used in the study and five different sizes of sphere were distinctively produced in the phantom. The study used $^{99m}TcO_4$. The cases were classified in to three categories that background radioactivity to region of interest as ratio of 2: 4: 8, They were acquired images for 5, 7, 10mins. The acquired image was set region of interest according to the size of sphere, and We analyzed quantitative and qualitative analysis. The acquired data statistically analyzed with SPSS ver.18.0. Results As the result of quantitative and qualitative analysis, count rate of each sphere in accordance with difference of injection dose showed that higher count rate as injection dose and sphere size increased (P<0.005). Count rate of each sphere in accordance with difference of acquisition time showed that higher count rate as acquisition time and sphere size increased (P<0.005). Contrast noise ratio of each sphere in accordance with difference of injection dose showed that higher contrast noise ratio as injection dose increased. Particularly, Contrast noise ratio of eight times ratio images was the highest among. Contrast noise ratio of each sphere in accordance with difference of acquisition time showed that higher contrast noise ratio as acquisition time increased. And, Contrast noise ratio of seven minute image was the highest among (P<0.005). Conclusion There was significant change of Contrast noise ratio through quantitative and qualitative analysis. Moreover, We found usefulness of phantom. If Institutions identified image through the phantom study and they made BSGI protocol, We expected to help the improvement of diagnostic value of the images.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 2010

Purpose: Currently, PET/CT scan has been known to provide useful information to both preoperative and postoperative examination of cancer patients. Contracted stomach by the long fasting could cause difficulties of interpretation because of its size on reconstructed image data. To solve this problem, after the whole body PET/CT scan, patients were administrated in drinking 300 mL of water to expand stomach and performed additional scan on stomach region. Not only PET/CT scan but also CT performs this water-administration, and patients were take oral solution to make stomach expand for stomach cancer. When this scan performed, patients lay supine position. In this study, we evaluated the capacity of stomach through PET/CT scan with drinking water performed in supine and prone position so that we can distinguish exact location of cancer around pylorus and inferior wall of stomach. Furthermore, image data from supine and prone positions were analyzed the difference of volume of stomach through the change of standardized uptake values. Materials and Methods: From July 2009 to January 2010 in severance hospital, 30 patients who were diagnosed as early gastric cancer or advanced gastric cancer were chosen. All patients had PET/CT scan before the operation and have had follow-up PET/CT. The patients fast for at least 8 hours, and had an injection intravenously with $^{18}F$-FDG, 7.4 MBq (0.2 mCi/kg) per kilogram. They were rested for 60 minutes. Before the examination, all patients were administrated to drink water for 300 mL Patients had PET/CT scan with supine position around the region of stomach, whole body, and around the region of stomach with prone position after drinking another 300 mL of water respectively. Results: As a results of comparison between stomach capacity of 30 patients in supine and prone position, the study draw results that average capacity of stomach body was 460.29 $mm^2$ in supine position, and 641.39 $mm^2$ in prone position for 30 patients. The change of capacity shows 41.3% expanded in prone position. And there was no noticeable difference at maximum standardized uptake values in supine position and prone position. Conclusion: As results, stomach would have more expanded capacity in prone position than supine position. For patients who have physical disabilities to move freely, additional scan in prone position will be obstacle to perform. However, if additional scan in supine position add with the scan in prone position, it will be easier to diagnose stomach cancer. Moreover, we believe that this study will help the research for inventing support tools for patients who have physical disabilities in prone position.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.177-180
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• 2010

Purpose: As PET test came to be covered by the pay system of medical insurance (July 1, 2006) and the needs for it becoming increased for laboratory purpose, it became necessary to purchase expensive medical equipments to solve those problems. However, as most of equipments that are operated by cyclotron are very expensive as to amount from tens of millions up to hundreds of millions of won, it is difficult to purchase those equipments from the point of medical organizations. It may be possible to self manufacture those equipments with least costs if their parts functions that meets the operators demands. The Nuclear Medicine department of National Cancer Center (NCC) is trying to manufacture and use equipments that can be made with least costs, including introducing 2 medical equipments that can improves the operator's works. Materials and Methods: Example 1: Self production of radioisotope($^{18}F$) divider was fabricated. The NCC's Nuclear Medicine department acquired one acrylic panel, seven 3-way valve, tubing etc. that can be found in the market to make the main body of divider in cooperation with biomedical engineering, and placed them inside hot cell, and installed switching box outside of hot cell to make it possible to control them from outside. This main body of divider were placed in radioisotope transfer line that are manufactured in the cyclotron. Example 2: Self production of $^{18}F$-FDG automated divider was fabricated. The NCC's Nuclear Medicine department used cavro pump syringe that consists the main body of divider in cooperation with biomedical engineering, biomedical engineering developed programs that divides a certain amount. $^{18}F$-FDG automated divider is placed inside hot cell, and cable chords were used in the equipment, and then it was connected to PC outside hot cell to make it possible to control the $^{18}F$-FDG automated divider. Results: From the NCC's Nuclear Medicine department tests that were carried out from March, 2007 until now, we found out that radioisotope can be sent to radiopharmaceuticals composite module we want, and from the tests that are carried out at NCC's Nuclear Medicine department using $^{18}F$-FDG automated divider since August, 2009 it was possible to distribute radiopharmaceuticals into vial intended. Conclusion: Through the two examples above, we found out that costs can be reduced by self manufacturing expensive equipments from NCC's cyclotron room with least costs. Also, it decreased radiation exposure dose on workers, and set up problem solving processes in cooperation with lots of parties related.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.166-171
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• 2010

Purpose: The SPECT/CT is able to acquire diagnostic information resolved the difficult problems that discriminate regions of focals by intergrating functional images and anatomical images. We introduce the usefulness of "Volumetrix Suite" which can describe 3D images by the convergence of the SPECT/CT images and reference CT images. Materials and Methods: We applied Volumetrix Suite program (Volumetrix IR, Volumetrix 3D) to patients, Bone, Venography, Parathyroid, WBC, taken diagnostic CT examination which have same regions of focal in Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center. After acquiring SPECT/CT images and reference CT images, we fused a couple of scans applying for this programs. The CT scan of Infinia Hawkeye 4 shows limitation of anatomical information. For this reason, we tried to transfer CT images that have lots of diagnostic informations as the form of Dicom file in PACS, and changed from 2D images to 3D images after image registering in Xeleris Workstaion of Hawkeye 4. Results & Conclusion: By using Volumetrix Suite program, we're able to acquire more accurate anatomical informations with 3D rendering which can distinguish both location and range of focals in Infinia Hawkeye 4. Thus, the result of utilizing this program indicate that nuclear medicine anatomical images can be improved by providing more diagnostic imformations produced by its program.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.75-79
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• 2016

Purpose The ASAN Medical Center, Nuclear Medicine performs TSH (Thyroid stimulating hormone) and FT4 (Free Thyroxine) tests 8 times per day. Accordingly, 70 ~ 80 kit tubes are consumed every day for the measurements and the time consumed for reagent dispensing averages over 170 seconds, where the TAT (turnaround time) may be effected when the number of test samples is larger than expected. Therefore, the following test was conducted with the purpose to reduce the number of kit tubes consumed, and reduce the time for reagent dispensing. Materials and Methods The test is based on applying the same reagent for tests where the number of samples is 30 or less. The test for TSH was conducted 9 times from July $1^{st}$ 2015 to July $10^{th}$ 2015. The test for FT4 was conducted 4 times from June $18^{th}$ 2015 to June $22^{nd}$, 2015. Standard Solution No.2 (0.153 uU/mL) and No.5 (4.96 uU/mL) was selected as the two-point standards for the TSH test, and Standard Solution No.3 (0.777 ng/dL) and No.4 (2.044 ng/dL) was selected as the two-point standards for the FT4 test. 38 test samples were subject to correlation analysis. Results For TSH, the result of the normal test shows ranges of 0.20 ~ 0.37 uU/mL for Control1, 0.53 ~ 0.71 uU/mL for Control2, and 6.77 ~ 7.94uU/mL for Control3, while the result of two-point calibration curve test shows ranges of 0.18 ~ 0.27 uU/mL for Control1, 0.53 ~ 0.71 uU/mL for Control2, and 7.30 ~ 8.52 uU/mL for Control3. For FT4, the result of the normal test shows ranges of 0.85 ~ 0.94 ng/dL for Control1 and 4.23 ~ 4.57 ng/dL for Control2, while the result of two-point calibration curve test shows ranges of 0.61 ~ 0.75 ng/dL for Control1 and 3.88 ~ 5.71 ng/dL for Control2. For TSH, the CV% of the normal test for Control1, Control2 and Control3 are 10.5, 3.3 and 3.6 respectively, while the CV% of the two-point calibration curve test for Control1 and Control1 are 12.4, 8.2 and 5.1 respectively. The result shows an outstanding correlation of TSH: y = 0.9985x - 0.0459 $R^2=0.9986$. For FT4, the CV% of the normal test for Control1 and Control2 are 0.70 and 0.71 respectively, while the CV% of the two-point calibration curve test for Control1 and Control1 are 8.7 and 16.2 respectively. The result shows an outstanding correlation of FT4: y = 1.2674x - 0.1133 $R^2=0.9824$. Conclusion The two-point calibration curve can be efficiently applied for TSH in cases where the number of test samples is not large, since the number of samples to be re-tested increases when the result is abnormal from the calibration curve. The two-point calibration curve test should not be applied for FT4 where the results do not consistently comply with the quality assessment range. Depending on how the two-point calibration curve is applied, up to 5 test tubes can be conserved per test, and the reduced time for reagent dispensing is anticipated to have a positive effect on the TAT (turnaround time).

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.21-26
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• 2016

Purpose Because of many advantages, PET-CT Scanners generally use CT Data for attenuation correction. By using CT based attenuation correction, we can get anatomical information, reduce scan time and make more accurate correction of attenuation. However in case metal artifact occurred during CT scan, CT-based attenuation correction can induce artifacts and quantitative errors that can affect the PET images. Therefore this study infers true SUV of metal artifact region from attenuation corrected image count -to- non attenuation corrected image count ratio. Materials and Methods Micro phantom inserted $^{18}F-FDG$ 4mCi was used for phantom test and Biograph mCT S(40) is used for medical test equipment. We generated metal artifact in micro phantom by using metal. Then we acquired both metal artifact region of correction factor and non metal artifact region of correction factor by using attenuation correction image count -to- non attenuation correction image count ratio. In case of clinical image, we reconstructed both attenuation corrected images and non attenuation corrected images of 10 normal patient($66{\pm}15age$) who examined PET-CT scan in SNUH. After that, we standardize several organs of correction factor by using attenuation corrected image count -to- non attenuation corrected count ratio. Then we figured out metal artifact region of correction factor by using metal artifact region of attenuation corrected image count -to- non attenuation corrected count ratio And we compared standard organs correction factor with metal artifact region correction factor. Results according to phantom test results, metal artifact induce overestimation of correction factor so metal artifact region of correction factors are 12% bigger than the non metal artifact region of correction factors. in case of clinical test, correction factor of organs with high CT number(>1000) is $8{\pm}0.5%$, correction factor of organs with CT number similar to soft tissue is $6{\pm}2%$ and correction factor of organs with low CT number(-100>) is $3{\pm}1%$. Also metal artifact correction factors are 20% bigger than soft tissue correction factors which didn't happened metal artifact. Conclusion metal artifact lead to overestimation of attenuation coefficient. because of that, SUV of metal artifact region is overestimated. Thus for more accurate quantitative evaluation, using attenuation correction image count -to-non attenuation correction image count ratio is one of the methods to reduce metal artifact affect.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.36-41
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• 2016

Purpose Sentinel lymphoscintigraphy (SLS) was using only $^{99m}Tc-phytate$. If the supply is interrupted temporarily, there is no alternative radiopharmaceuticals. The aim of this study measure the particle size of radiopharmaceuticals and look for radiopharmaceuticals which can be substituted for $^{99m}Tc-phytate$. Materials and Methods The particle size of radiopharmaceuticals were analyzed by a nano-particle analyzer. This study were selected known radiopharmaceuticals to be useful particle size for SLS. We were divided into control and experimental groups using $^{99m}Tc-DPD$, $^{99m}Tc-MAG3$, $^{99m}Tc-DMSA$ with $^{99m}Tc-phytate$. For in-vivo experiment, radiopharmaceuticals were injected intradermally at both foot to perform lymphoscintigraphy. Imaging was acquired to dynamic and delayed static image and observe the inguinal lymph nodes with the naked eye. Results Particle size was measured respectively Phytate 105~255 nm (81.9%), MAG3 91~255 nm (98.7%), DPD 105~342 nm (77.3%), DMSA 164~ 342 nm (99.2%), MAA 1281~2305 nm (90.6%), DTPA 342~1106 nm (79.4%), and HDP 295~955 nm (94%). In-vivo delayed static image, inguinal lymph nodes of all experiment groups and two control groups are visible to naked eye. however, $^{99m}Tc-MAG3$ of control groups is not visible to naked eye. Conclusion We were analyzed to the particle size of the radiopharmaceuticals that are used in in-vivo. Consequently, $^{99m}Tc-DPD$, $^{99m}Tc-DMSA $are possible in an alternative radiopharmaceuticals of emergency.